CTC PRESS RELEASE
CTC – the UK’s national cyclists’ organisation
26 February 2010
Vote Bike!
Ahead of the general election, CTC – the UK’s national cyclists’ organisation is launching a campaign called Vote Bike. Earlier this week, the Government published its Active Travel Strategy, which aims to encourage more walking and cycling. CTC welcomed the strategy’s aspirations, but as it contained no new actions, funding or promises, CTC is pushing for cross-party support in the new parliament for a strong cycling action plan.
Vote Bike aims to achieve this by encouraging all cyclists to ask their Prospective Parliamentary Candidates (PCCs) to commit to cycling and to share their views on CTC’s Vote Bike Manifesto.
CTC’s new online campaigning tool makes it easy for cyclists to send emails to their PPCs asking them to express their support for CTC’s Vote Bike Manifesto. The site will show how PPCs have responded to the questions, and any comments they have made about cycling.
CTC Campaigns and Policy Director Roger Geffen said: “Vote Bike is a quick and easy way to campaign for cycling. It will encourage the new government to put cycling closer to the heart of their policies on health, transport and communities. It will also provide cyclists with information about what their local candidates think about cycling and will help CTC lobby even more effectively for cycling to be mainstream.”
CTC’s Vote Bike Manifesto calls for:
- Commitment to cycling from government departments, local authorities, health and other relevant bodies, to contribute to a national doubling of cycle trips whilst halving the risks within ten years.
- Cycle friendly planning and design by local authorities and developers. Practitioners need the training, skills, assessment tools and political support to deliver quality cycling conditions throughout the road network.
- Safe drivers and vehicles to tackle the threats of lorries, speeding and irresponsible driving, through training and awareness campaigns for both drivers and cyclists, backed by lower speed limits (e.g. 20 mph for most urban streets) and stronger, better enforced road traffic law.
- Better provision for combining cycling with public transport by ensuring good access to stations and interchanges, secure parking (including ‘cycle hubs’ at major stations) and sensibly managed provision for carrying cycles on public transport.
- Encouragement, incentives and opportunities to try out cycling, in schools and workplaces, and for key target groups (e.g. health patients and disadvantaged groups), plus tax incentives to support the use, purchase and repair of cycles and related accessories.
- More and better opportunities for recreational and off-road cycling including the appropriate opening up of green spaces, forest land, rights of way, waterways and sections of Britain’s coast.
Vote Bike is about giving all cyclists the opportunity to engage with potential decision makers to find out where they stand on making cycling for transport, health and leisure part of everyday life. That’s why CTC is calling on all cyclists to help to make the next parliament cycle-friendly.
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For more information please contact the CTC Press Office on 0844 736 8453.
Notes to editors
- More information on Vote Bike http://www.ctc.org.uk/votebike
- CTC - the UK’s national cyclists' organisation, with 70,000 members and affiliates in 250 clubs across the UK, is the oldest and largest cycling body in the UK, established in 1878. We provide a comprehensive range of services, advice, events, and protection for our members and work to promote cycling by raising public and political awareness of its health, social and environmental benefits. For more information see http://www.ctc.org.uk.
- CTC’s Response to the Active Travel Strategy: http://www.ctc.org.uk/activetravelstrategy
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